Innovative Storage and Organization Ideas for Small Spaces

We all have them in our homes, our offices, our apartments: small spaces. Those small spaces that are in fact so small that we just don’t know quite what to do with them or how to optimally use them.

Fear not, fellow small spacers, I’m here to help you with some ideas for organizing and maximizing space in these small and impossible-to-work-with crevices, hallways, closets, foyers and any other barely-there place.

Furniture Storage

Whether it’s a small room that you’re working with or perhaps even a small hallway, furniture is a great opportunity for you to throw in some personal touches as well as some additional storage space.

Try to pick benches, ottomans, couches, bed frames, anything really that features some sort of added storage space. Many deep benches allow you to pull the top off of them to store extra clothes or shoes, and the same is true for ottomans – perfect little suckers for storing books, magazines or kids’ toys in the family room.

Larger pieces of furniture like couches and beds often feature under-frame drawers to add some space for your storage needs. The best part about this furniture is that you can’t always tell that they’re there more for the storage than the comfort and look of the furniture itself!

Vertical Shelving

Too many of us don’t take advantage of the vertical space that many of our rooms possess. Consider some shelving units that run higher than they do wide. This way, you’ll get the same amount of storage space, but you’ll save your floor space for other furniture.

Try to pick shelving units that go with your decor so they don’t stick out like a sore thumb. For example, if you have white accents in a room, choose either a white bookcase or some white wire shelving. On the contrary, if you are going for sort of a posh, modern look, try stainless steel wire shelving or a metal shelving unit of some sort.

It’s important that your storage doesn’t define your space. It should simply be what it is: there for the sole purpose of storing things either out of sight, or at least out of the way.

Cabinet Storage

You can take advantage of a ton of the space that’s left empty underneath a cabinet, but that doesn’t mean I’m telling you to just throw all of your junk under there because it’s out of sight so it doesn’t matter how it looks.

If you’re going to take advantage of the space under a kitchen or bathroom sink, purchase a couple of pull-out organizing drawers to sort out different types of items. The drawers themselves are inexpensive and the organizational aspect will only take some time on your part.

Hanging Storage

This tactic works particularly well for a small kitchen space, as there’s usually a lot of extra wall space that doesn’t get used properly in a kitchen, and that usually comes with a lack of cabinet space.

So instead of throwing all of your pots and pans in a cabinet to store, hang them up on a wall of the kitchen. Arrange them in a decorative pattern and hang them so they are proudly on display. It won’t only look nice, but it’ll save you precious cabinet space and make your cooking tools nice and accessible.

You can do the same with hanging pots from the ceiling, if your kitchen allows for it. This tends to be a slightly more expensive venture, but if you’re willing to give it a shot, try hanging pots and pans from the ceiling over an island for extra space saving.

Over-Door Racks

If you have a small closet, bedroom or bathroom space, don’t just pile things up behind the door to hide them there. That’s not practical in the long run.

Instead, consider using an over-the-door rack or organizer to store and organize some of your smaller items. For example, and over-door rack behind the bathroom door can be used to organize hair accessories, small cosmetic appliances, shampoos that aren’t in use, extra toothbrushes, even extra small linens.

A bedroom or closet over-door rack can be used to store and organize shoes or small items that you just don’t have any other place for. They can be real space-savers and they’re really inexpensive, and that space behind your door can be used to your advantage!